On this day in 1918, Canadian socialist and labor activist Albert "Ginger" Goodwin was murdered by police while avoiding his draft into World War I by hiding out in the hills of Cumberland, British Columbia.

Born in Yorkshire, England on May 10th, 1887, Goodwin immigrated to Canada in 1909, at the age of 19, working as a coal miner in Nova Scotia.

In Canada, he organized with the Socialist Party of Canada and became a notable labor leader during the 1912–1914 Coal Miner's Strike against Canadian Collieries. Following the strike, he was blacklisted and was forced to move away from Cumberland to find work.

In 1916, he joined the Mining and Smelter workers Union and was elected as Secretary for the Trail chapter. Following his involvement with trade unions, Goodwin entered politics running as a candidate for the Socialist Party of Canada in the 1916 British Columbian election, although he did not win.

As World War I broke out, Goodwin became an outspoken advocate against the draft, initially refusing to sign up. When conscription became law in 1917, Goodwin was classified as fit for military service even though earlier health concerns had previously rendered him temporarily unfit. By then he had enemies not only in management and the government but also in the union of which he had been president. After twice vainly appealing his reclassification, he and several other draft evaders hid in the bush near Cumberland, where they were provided with supplies by people from the town. Police Constable Dan Campbell tracked Goodwin down and killed him. Campbell was charged with manslaughter but was exonerated before a grand jury, meeting in camera.

Goodwin's friends, both then and in the years since, have pointed out many discrepancies in the official record. On the day of his funeral, August 2, the Trades and Labor and Metal Trades Council of Vancouver called all members out for 24 hours to protest "the shooting of Brother A. Goodwin." The overwhelming response gave BC its first general strike.

"War is simply part of the process of Capitalism. Big financial interests are playing the game. They'll reap the victory, no matter how the war ends."

  • Albert Goodwin

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  • JamesConeZone [they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    Today's Scripture is taken from Ezekiel chapter 23, verse 20. Hear now the word of the lord

    She lusted after her paramours in Egypt, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of stallions.

    The word of the Lord

    • JamesConeZone [they/them]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Reading through Ezekiel's batshit crazy prophecies, getting to the part about big dick Egyptians and their massive loads :jesse-wtf:

        • Frank [he/him, he/him]
          ·
          2 years ago

          The bible is fucking wild. If you ignore the begats and Judges there's some fun, wacky stuff in there. If anything it's a shame that so much of the cool stuff requires an understanding of contemporary culture and politics or it just doesn't make sense. The bible is a really cool document but you need to study a lot of history or you miss out on all the best jokes.

          • soft [she/her]
            ·
            2 years ago

            I don't remember all the bible stories from sunday school but one of the wildest has to be the time that the Israelites told a competing tribe that they'd hook them up with some hot Israelite women if they each cut part of their dick off first, and the horny madlads actually did it - but it was all a ruse to make them too weak to fight and the Israelites just killed them. That's how I remember it anyway, I was like ten haha

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Honestly my favorite line in the bible, hands down.

      Okay I like the Sermon on the Mount better bc Communism, but it's a close second.